Lord Valentine's Castle

The Majipoor series explores the immense world of Majipoor, colonized by humans thousands of years in our future but home to but home to a dangerous indigenous race called the Shapeshifters and numerous aliens as well, who were invited by humans to join them in settling the enormous continents. Both technology and magic work on Majipoor, giving the series a feel of magic-infused science fiction. The ruling class has developed an ironclad set of customs that dictate who will bear the Starburst Crown and the title of Pontifex. The first trilogy--Lord Valentine's Castle, The Majipoor Chronicles, and Valentine Pontifex--chronicles the rise of young Valentine to the position of Coronal--the junior monarch who rules in conjunction with the Pontifex. The second trilogy--Sorcerers of Majipoor, Lord Prestimion, and The King of Dreams--is set a thousand years before Valentine's time and traces a time of sorcerous struggle that almost rips Majipoor apart.